


Among the Ashes

by WhatTheHanz



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, And Everyone Just Accepts It, But there's magic, Dog - Freeform, Drug Use, Enchantment, F/M, Lots of Violence Against Hux, Magic, Multi, Sex Trafficking, Sex Work, Shapeshifter, bad language, drug overdose, dub con, minor violence against animals, no force, wolf - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-17
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:48:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24229924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatTheHanz/pseuds/WhatTheHanz
Summary: After Rey's parents die from a drug related over dose, she inherits their debts from The First Order syndicate and begins stripping in one of their clubs to work it off.After a bad shift, Rey is harassed  by a high ranking member for "favors" to help pay down her debt faster. Things probably would have escalated, if the biggest dog she had ever seen hadn't attacked.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Kylo Ren/Ben Solo
Comments: 16
Kudos: 42





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'll probably update the tags as this story develops, and may change the rating as necessary. 
> 
> Big thanks to MM for not only getting me to finally put fingers to keyboard and start a Reylo fic, but for beta reading it too. 
> 
> This is my first Star Wars fic, but I've been binge reading them for the last few months so, y'know *brushes shoulder off.* 
> 
> I hope you enjoy!

Rey cursed softly, struggling to escape from the contraption of strategically placed strings that composed tonight's outfit. She had to get out of the building before Hux was done checking the till's balance, or it would be an extra twenty minutes of annoyance to what was already a shitty night. 

It had rained hard her entire shift, so the normal patrons were home, snuggling with their wives and kids instead of paying hot young things to grind against them. Marks had been slim, tips minimal, and the dancers extra ruthless against one another. Most of the girls owed money, so friendships were often fleeting alliances. Rey's shoulder still throbbed from an "accidental" trip which resulted in a missed dance on top of a bad bruise where the brunt of her weight had landed.

Finally, she was out of the skimpy costume. The young woman pulled on briefs style panties, slipped into yoga pants, and threw on a hoodie that would hopefully keep her dry enough for the walk home. She didn't have enough tonight to splurge on the bus.

Luck continued to be against her. As soon as she stepped out the employee exit into the alley behind _Snoke's Gentlemens Club_ , red hair caught her eye. 

"Oi, babe," he called, waving his arm at her like there was a crowd of people hanging out by the wet garbage pile that had overflowed from the dumpster. 

On any other night, Rey might have faked a smile and a phone call, or awkwardly laughed him off like it was some kind of shared joke to escape his attention. Tonight though, she was too cranky to play nice. "Fuck off," she spit, trying to step around him. 

Lightning quick, his hand shot out, grabbing her forearm hard enough to bruise. "You should take care of me. You know when you play nice, I do too," he grinned at her, his eyes roaming her body like he could see through her dumpy clothes. She jerked her arm back. Rey knew better than to go that route again. The feelings of personal shame were worse than getting some bucks skimmed off the top of her debt. 

Apparently, the bad mood was prevalent tonight. Instead of accepting her rejection, the man shoved her against the wall, caging her between his arms and leering down. "We both know you didn't earn shit tonight. Be a smart girl," he proposed. He stepped closer, his erection brushing against her leg. 

Rey tried not to let the fear show on her face. Usually Hux wasn't this aggressive in his efforts to manipulate "favors" from her. She took a breath to steady herself.

And that's when the biggest fucking dog Rey had seen in her life seemed to materialize from the dark, lunging at Hux and biting down viciously on his arm.


	2. Chapter One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter, a potentially violent encounter with Hux was interrupted when a black dog attacked him.

Rey remembered a day in the park when she had been a little girl. Her parents had actually shown up for their scheduled visitation time. They must have been on a sober streak, because under the watchful eye of the child services worker, they unpacked the picnic they had planned for her. 

While eating her sticky peanut butter and jelly sandwich, she'd seen a little bunny emerge cautiously from the bushes. She'd watched it, fascinated by it's twitchy nose and restless eyes. When the hawk descended and grabbed it by the neck, she wasn't sure which of them was more surprised. 

The scream emerging from Hux was similar to the rabbit's that day. 

The inertia from the massive dog had knocked the red head down to the ground. Terrifying, rumbling growls vibrated from its deep chest while it shook the man's arm. Rey watched, frozen by shock, as Hux managed to pull a knife from his coat jacket and slashed at the dog. Blood splattered on her face, releasing her from her stupor. She dashed forward and kicked Hux, forcing him to drop the knife. 

She didn't know what possibly possessed her next, but in a stern voice she commanded, "Dog, heel!" 

Surprisingly, the dog released Hux, looking back at her with red gashes on its face. "Uh, shit...um, come?" she tentatively asked. The dog stepped towards her, but all the menace was gone. Hux was beginning to move again, his hand reaching for the knife once more.

"Fuck! Run!" She took off towards the main street, the sound of nails clicking against the concrete following her. 

Rey was almost home before the adrenaline had fled her system enough for her to slow. She bent forward, panting, hands braced on her knees. The large animal had kept pace with her easily, and stopped, waiting a few feet away from her. The young woman walked the rest of the way to the shabby building she called home, the dog trailing her quietly.

"I guess I can give you dinner, since you helped with Hux," she told it, while trying to shove the humidity warped door open. "I mean, you may have made it worse...but, tonight, you helped." With a crack, the door finally popped open. 

She slid off her wet shoes and left them just inside the doorway. The dog remained outside. "Come on," she urged it, then made kissy noises while patting her thigh. With something almost akin to reluctance, it entered, and she slammed the door shut behind it. With a flourish of her hand, she announced, “Welcome to Casa de Rey!” 

Rey's apartment was a small studio with a kitchenette in one corner accompanied by a few cupboards. There was a closet sized bathroom, but no actual closets, and a lumpy futon that served as both a bed and couch. Behind it, there was a clothes rack and milk crates that she had jerry rigged into an imitation of a dresser. On top of a visibly uneven coffee table, an old laptop rested in the corner. There was obvious water damage on the ceiling. The paint was flaking and there were holes in the drywall, the worst of which she had covered with random posters of flowers she’d found at thrift stores. She liked to think it made the room a little brighter. 

The woman regarded the dog awkwardly, not really sure what to do next. Should she feed it? But it was also dripping water all over her already damp carpet and there was one cut on its face that looked pretty bad. With a sigh, she decided to order her tasks: dry, clean, feed. 

She had three towels in what she considered the “linen” level of her milk crates. She didn’t think the dog would begrudge her if she used the most threadbare one. “Just, don’t bite me, okay?” she asked. The dog stood still enough, allowing her to work the towel through it’s long, black coat. She wondered if it was someone’s pet, to be so well behaved. During the process, she discovered her animal savior was male. 

“Okay buddy, you did great with the towel. Someone must have done a good job training you. But I’m going to clean the cuts on your face, and that’s going to sting. Remember, this is for your own good. And also that I’m not that prick Hux,” she explained, preparing a diluted mix of hydrogen peroxide and water. She was out of cotton balls, so she’d just have to repurpose the towel again. 

She dipped the corner of it in the concoction and dabbed gently at the creature’s face. He raised his hackles slightly, but never growled or moved away. Rey babbled away, hoping if she kept talking to him, he’d remain calm. “You know, you’re the biggest dog I’ve ever seen. And your hair’s so thick. I wonder if you’re one of those wolf-dogs? I’ve heard they’re supposed to get massive.” 

The young woman had been so fixated on the animal, she didn’t realize she’d begun to shiver from the cold air in the apartment and her wet clothes until she’d tended to the last cut. “Okay,” she started, “I know I promised you dinner, but I’ve got to clean up, too. Can you wait?” 

Rey stood and dropped the dirty towel into a hamper, her wet clothes following after. With a chuckle, she noticed that the black dog had laid down, his face turned away from her.  _ What a gentleman _ , she joked to herself, waiting for the water to heat up.  _ Could use a couple of those at work some time.  _

She rushed through cleaning the lingering smells of alcohol, smoke, and cologne from her hair. She did the best she could to get her heavy makeup off, but she’d probably have raccoon eyes until she could buy more cotton balls. The old water heater was already giving out, so she cut her shower short. 

She wrung out her hair, deciding it was too cold to bother with lotion and that she’d skip it tonight. From the milk crates, she grabbed a towel and dried off, then changed into a pair of Poe’s pajamas from the last time he’d crashed with her and left them behind. She should probably give them back, but he had good taste and they were so soft and comfortable…

“Alright, Sir Dog, you can look again,” she said while wrapping her still damp hair up in the towel. “Ah shit. I need to go grocery shopping too.” There was a near empty egg carton and half a bottle of milk left. She checked the cupboards and found two packages of ramen. She’d cook the noodles and just add the eggs for protein. There were three left, but she figured the dog could have two eggs for being a good boy. 

When the simple meal was ready, Rey carried the bowls to her coffee table. She set hers down carefully so as not to tip the table, and the dog’s on the floor. He ate from the dish delicately, as if trying not to make a mess. 

She booted up the old laptop and slurped noodles while the streaming service buffered. Her life was shit, but she treated herself to one nice thing, and that was a source of entertainment. She’d taken to falling asleep with it on, as it usually helped drown out the noises from the streets and her neighbors. 

When they had both finished, she put the bowls in the sink to deal with tomorrow. She pulled the futon into the down position, adjusted her pillow, and pulled a heavy blanket from the back of it. “Good night, Sir Dog. I’ll try to find your owner tomorrow and you can go home,” she told the animal drowsily. She was so tired, she didn’t even protest when the dog jumped onto the futon next to her. Besides, he was like a furnace, and she was still cold. She stroked his head in the blue glow from her laptop until she fell asleep. 

It had stopped raining and her laptop had gone into sleep mode when she woke up to use the restroom. 

On the futon next to her, was the biggest fucking man she’d ever seen in her life.

* * *

**A/N:**

Your thoughts, feedback, and kudos are always appreciated.

Stay safe and sane!


	3. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the last chapter, Rey went to sleep with the stray dog who had saved her from Hux's advances, but woke up with a man in her bed.

Rey's life had been unconventional, to put it kindly, for as long as she could recall. She had _mostly_ overcome the need to give into knee-jerk reactions and to instead, assess the situation before making a decision. 

The man next to her was enormous, with broad shoulders and deliciously muscled arms and pecs from what she could see. His eyes moved rapidly under sleeping lids on a handsome face. Even though his legs were practically folded into his chest to fit the futon and she was pushed to the edge of the mattress, under normal circumstances, he might not have been bad to bunk with.

The stranger was hot in both senses of the word. Rey was lean from never quite having enough to eat and a physically demanding job. Staying comfortable on chilly nights in her poorly insulated apartment was a constant battle for her.

But, she had not invited him to share her bed, and Sir Dog seemed to be missing. 

Though the man appeared to be in a deep sleep, the young woman still rolled off the futon with as much stealth as possible. She padded into her kitchen and selected a large, surprisingly good quality chef's knife. She carried it into the bathroom with her, reasoning that if things went south, at the very least she wouldn't piss herself. 

With her business done, Rey reached into the hamper to retrieve the wet and threadbare towel she had used on the dog earlier. The brunette gauged how long the man's reach would be and positioned herself outside of it. She wadded the towel into a tight ball and chucked it as hard as she could at the interloper's face.

He awoke with a startled grunt and flailing limbs. Cursing, he fell off the low bed as he tried to untangle himself from the blanket. "What the hell?" he yelled, finally getting himself straightened out.

"Where's the dog?" Rey demanded, brandishing her weapon.

"Really, that's your first question? Not who I am, how did I get in here, but where the freaking _dog_ is?"

She tightened her grip on the knife. "Did you hurt him?" 

There was a dangerous glint in the man's eyes as he responded, "Whatever, have it your way. No, I didn't hurt the dog."

"Where is he?" She stretched her arm out a little longer, as if to remind him she had the knife.

"He's fine."

"Okay smart ass, but _where_ is he?"

A sarcastic smirk pulled his lips slightly up. "He's right here. I'm your 'Sir Dog.'" Rey squinted at him, assessing his features more closely. The man had the same shade of black hair the dog had, and there were cuts on his face she guessed would be in a similar position. 

Still. 

"Prove it," she challenged. 

"You put eggs in instant ramen. Two in my bowl, specifically. It was...interesting."

She lowered the knife slightly, but kept her hold secure. She scrutinized him more closely. "Are you cursed or something?" she asked bluntly.

The man sighed and wearily ran his large hand back through his hair while answering, "Yeah, I think that's what happened. It's kind of blurry."

"For how long?"

"No clue. Dogs experience time differently."

"Oh. Um," she shifted awkwardly on her feet, her fear shifting towards pity. "So what's your name?" At first it seemed like he wouldn't answer her, so she added, "Unless you prefer Sir Dog?"

He scoffed at her. "My name is Kylo Ren," he finally replied.

"Does this," she gestured broadly at him, "happen often?"

"No, this is the first time I've been human for a while."

"Oh," Rey said brightly. "So are you cured then?"

"Far from it. I can still feel the weight of the magic," he answered, his voice dropping menacingly. 

"Well, you helped me tonight. Maybe I can help you too?"

He snorted dismissively. "You were simply collateral that got lucky. I wasn't trying to help _you_ , I was just trying to fuck up your prick of a boyfriend Hux."

The young woman was appalled. "Hux is _not_ my boyfriend. I can't stand that guy," she explained through gritted teeth. 

"Ah, so you're one of his girls?" Kylo asked. She could hear the judgement in his voice.

"I'm not 'his girl' either. I just owe money."

"Oh is that it, then? What was your poison of choice?" he sneered.

"Junkie parents who OD'ed and left the First Order a big ol' unpaid bill."

"Oh," he said softly. For the first time in their brief exchange, he'd lost his haughty, judgemental tone with her. Rey could barely hear him mumble an apology.

"Listen, even though you've been a right bastard to me, I'm still willing to help you," she offered. 

"Why?"

"Because, well, shit happens. Life isn't fair, but at least we can help others, right?"

"I don't need yo-" Kylo began, before falling to his side, balling that enormous body up in pain.

"Kylo!" she cried out in alarm, discarding her only weapon and falling on her knees at his side. "What's wrong?"

"Tomorrow," he grit out in between spasms of pain, "take me to Leia Organa's house. And yeah, _that_ Leia Organa." 

Where there had once been a gorgeous, if sour-tempered man, in his place laid the large black dog, panting as if he too was in pain. When his sides stopped pumping like a set of bellows, she tried cautiously, "Kylo?"

Immediately the dog's ears flicked towards her. 

"You're a jerk, you know? You didn't even ask what _my_ name is. But I'll take you tomorrow anyway," she told him. She wasn't sure how much he understood in this form, but it still felt nice to give him a dose of his own rude medicine for a moment. "And you can sleep on the bed...the _foot_ of the bed," she emphasized. 

His rich brown eyes met hers and held, as if he was trying to intimidate her. "Hey, the floor is always an option. This place is a shit hole and the carpet is always...moist. it only gets worse when it's been raining."

With a huff, Kylo seemed to accept her terms. She turned her streaming service back on to try to distract her from the increasingly weird events of the evening. The futon wobbled a little as the dog joined her on it again, seeming to make a show of laying down where she'd ask.

Finally, her eyes were growing heavy again. Without really thinking, Rey slid her feet under his warm body. His head shot up and looked at her. "I'm cold," she explained. After a moment, Kylo laid his head back down, but not without another dramatic sigh.

Rey knew better to think tomorrow would magically fix everything. But tonight, at least, she was warm.

* * *

**A/N:**

I'm having fun, are you?


End file.
